Limits Tested
by Obiwriter341
Summary: The mission is a simple, diplomatic one on the surface. However, things are not always as they appear, and soon Obi-Wan and another Padawan vanish inexplicably.
1. Chapter 1

**Would you believe they just followed me home one day? No? Ah, okay, it was worth a try. Lucas owns them; I just borrow them when he's not looking.**** But A'ka Jolin and Litri Thi-Anos are mine. If you want to borrow them, you can; just tell me first so I can check your story out.**

**Okay, this fanfic is pretty bad, in my opinion, but I'm going to post it anyway, for some reason. It probably should never have left my computer, or even my messed-up excuse for a brain, but… deal. **

Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed as he slung his small pack over his shoulder, ready to leave for Adarlon. "Are you ready, Master?" he called over his shoulder, one hand already resting lightly on the doorknob.

"I'm coming, Padawan," came the slightly muffled reply from the other room. A moment later, Qui-Gon emerged, a similar pack in his hand. "Shall we?"

"We shall," Obi-Wan responded with a smile.

The two Jedi stepped out of their quarters and quietly made their way down the hallways to the hangar. That early in the morning, most Jedi were asleep or meditating. The glow rods that illuminated the Temple cast a soft, dim light on the polished marble floors. As the morning progressed, they would brighten gradually, imitating the rising sun.

Finally, Obi-Wan broke the companionable silence. "Master, why are two Jedi teams required on this mission? I thought you said it was just negotiations between two opposing government parties. It sounds simple enough."

"As a matter of fact, I don't know myself, Padawan. When I asked Master Yoda, he simply told me to be wary, as things are not always as they appear."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Do you know who the other Jedi team is, at least?"

"I believe we will be working with Knight Jolin and Padawan Thi-Anos."

The fourteen year old suppressed a groan. Litri Thi-Anos was the most obnoxious Padawan in the Jedi Order. She was constantly correcting the other Padawans in the Temple. Obi-Wan avoided the girl whenever he could, as she was incessant. Unfortunately, his Master and Knight Jolin were close friends, so Obi-Wan often worked with Litri in closed training sessions.

Noting the look of dismay on his Padawan's face, Qui-Gon asked without stopping or even slowing his pace, "Is this a problem, Obi-Wan?"

How could Obi-Wan explain to Qui-Gon that the girl seemed to think she was his Master? "Of course not, Master," he replied, resigned, as the two entered the hanger, where Knight Jolin and Padawan Thi-Anos were waiting by their transport. "Of course not."

The four Jedi exchanged respectful bows in greeting and turned towards the ship. On the outside, Obi-Wan was the embodiment of Jedi serenity, but on the inside, he was dreading the next few days. _May the Force be with me._

* * *

><p>Qui-Gon Jinn plugged the coordinates of Adarlon into the ship's computer and sat back in his seat as they made the jump into hyperspace, the stars blurring and elongating, becoming streaks of white light, until they could not be seen at all.<p>

He felt, rather than heard or saw, A'ka Jolin enter the small space, having already put their Padawans to work on their datapads. The woman's Force presence was obviously disturbed. Even a youngling could have sensed her disquiet. She sighed as she sat down next to the older Jedi Master.

Cautiously, not wanting to offend the woman, Qui-Gon asked, "Is something troubling you, Knight Jolin?"

A'ka rubbed her temples, as though she were attempting to alleviate the pain of a headache. "I'm sorry, Master Jinn. It's nothing really. I just have a… bad feeling about this mission. Something is amiss."

Qui-Gon struggled to hide a grin. He had known the Twi'lek Jedi ever since he had been a Senior Padawan and she had been a youngling in the crèche. Sometimes, she really sounded like Obi-Wan. "Well, every mission, even those seemingly simple, always has the possibility of danger," he quoted Jedi wisdom. "But with two Jedi teams, I doubt anything can go seriously wrong."

The young woman seemed to gain some confidence from his words. "You're probably right. It's probably just nerves. Litri's my first Padawan, and we've only been together for a few months. Plus, it hasn't been long since my Knighting, either. I just don't know if I'm ready for this."

"Yoda would not have suggested you take an apprentice had he not thought you to be ready."

"That's true, too." A'ka admitted. "But how will I –"

Qui-Gon cut her off. "A'ka! Stop worrying! Teach Litri everything your Master taught you, and you'll be fine."

The Twi'lek Knight again sighed. "If only it were that simple. Litri is… rather… different. After all the time we've had our Padawans do exercises together, don't try to tell me you haven't noticed it."

"I won't lie to you, A'ka," Qui-Gon admitted, "Your Padawan is quite a handful. Obi-Wan didn't seem thrilled when I told him that he would have to cooperate with her. It's probably why Yoda sent us on this mission together."

"Probably," A'ka agreed. "I still think Litri has potential, despite her flaws. We all have faults, now don't we? Isn't that why we train? Because no one is perfect?"

"Yes," said Qui-Gon, "and it is a good thing you took Litri as your apprentice. You see in her what other Masters might not. Had you not taken Litri on, she would probably have been sent to the Agri-Corps, and her potential would have been wasted."

"I am sure the pairing is right, and I think Litri is ready. I'm just not sure _I'm _ready."

"That's just how I felt taking Obi-Wan as my Padawan," Qui-Gon confessed. "But when the pairing is right, the Force has a way of straightening problems out."

* * *

><p>It had only been two days since they had departed the Temple, and already, Obi-Wan wanted this mission over with. He had been procrastinating his assignment in favor of lightsaber training, but his Master had told him at breakfast that they had less than a day until their arrival on Adarlon. Obi-Wan groaned as he looked at his datapad full of mission information that he still had to get through and flopped back on his sleep-couch. He was normally a very diligent student, but after reading off of the small screen for an hour, his eyes were becoming quite tired. As he closed them, though, a voice broke into his relaxation.<p>

"Obi-Wan, what _are_ you doing? You're taking a break? But you _just _started your reading today! You know, as a Jedi Padawan, you should have a better work ethic. I mean, you're apprenticed to _Qui-Gon Jinn,_ for Force's sake! A legendary Master like him deserves a student who will complete the work he has been assigned! It is our duty to our Masters to learn all this material, and you're just –"

Obi-Wan rubbed his callused hands through his spiky ginger-hair. "Fine, Litri. Whatever." He picked up the datapad again and began to read the diminutive Aurebesh once more. It was futile to argue with the girl, and he knew it. _Anger leads to hate; hate leads to suffering. Anger leads to hate; hate leads to suffering, _he repeated to himself over and over in his head. _It's just one mission. A simple, diplomatic mission. We'll be back at the Temple in a week, and then I can stay as far away from Litri as possible._

The teen pretended to be reading his assignment and listening to Litri drone on and on about students with poor work ethic, when, in reality, he was gazing off into space and allowing his mind to wander. The Jedi student was saved from a longer lecture by his Master entering the room.

"Padawans. Come, we have landed. It is time to meet the natives."

Rising from his seated position, Obi-Wan stretched out his cramped legs and hurried to keep up with Qui-Gon's long stride. The four Jedi met by the door. Litri moved closer to Master Jolin, who protectively wrapped an arm around the young girl's shoulder and cast a reassuring smile. The group pulled their hoods up and walked slowly down the ramp, where a young human woman was waiting for them.

"Welcome to Adarlon," she greeted them with an overly cherry smile. "I am Elisha Iyr, emergency governor of Adarlon. Please, follow me to your rooms."

The Jedi followed Elisha through the city streets, which were strangely empty. As they walked, the petite woman talked to them about the situation. "You see, our government is compromised of two governors, Drehel Zalzabar and Grupen Sage. Together, they rule the planet, discussing new laws and doctrines. Each one rules their own separate section of Adarlon. However, there has been a disagreement over territories. Every four years, they re-divide the planet, and Sage is convinced that Zalzabar has tricked him out of the better region. The two are refusing to work together to rule, so until the negotiations are over, I have been voted into office by the people."

The group soon reached the hotel at which they were staying. Elisha opened the door to reveal their lush quarters. Thick carpets lay on the floor of the spacious room. A large window offered a panoramic view of the planet. "I hope you will find your lodging satisfactory," Elisha said. "Please be present in the meeting room in a half hour's time. It is the only room on the sixth floor."

Obi-Wan turned around to thank their guide, but she had already left. "Well, this is nice," he commented cheerfully.

"I agree, Padawan; I prefer this to that prison cell on Brinsar immensely," Qui-Gon said with the hint of a smile on his face.

"Well, that was your fault, anyway, Master! You were the one who hit on the Queen!"

"Obi-Wan, we've been over this! I did not 'hit on' the Queen! She kissed me!"

"Yeah, but the King didn't seem to care when he walked in on you two."

"Padawan…"

"I'm just _saying_..."

* * *

><p>A half-hour later, the Jedi were sitting on one side of the long table in the hotel's meeting room. Across from them were Drehel Zalzabar, Elisha, and Grupen Sage. Immediately, Qui-Gon could tell that the negotiations would be neither simple, nor short. Zalzabar and Sage seemed to loathe each other immensely. Unfortunately for the Jedi, Qui-Gon was soon proven right.<p>

After only an hour or two of negotiations, Qui-Gon noticed that something was wrong. Both Zalzabar and Sage had been casting glances at Obi-Wan and Litri throughout the meeting, even though they had yet to speak a word. "Is there a problem, gentlemen?" Qui-Gon asked, concerned.

"Well, now that you mention it, Master Jedi, there is." Zalzabar said. "Do these _children_ really need to be here?"

A'ka spoke up. "With all due respect, Governor Zalzabar, these 'children' are our apprentices. Their job is to observe us and learn from us, which they cannot do if they are not present. Where we go, they go."

"These negotiations will not continue until they leave!" Sage stood, angry. "We agreed that Jedi could come and help with our negotiations, but not their children!"

Qui-Gon began to protest, but before he could, Obi-Wan rose to his feet. "No, Master. It's fine. We can't put the outcome of the mission in jeopardy." At that, Litri stood as well. "We will go back to our quarters and wait for you to come back." When Qui-Gon nodded his consent, so did A'ka, and Obi-Wan and Litri left the room.

The Jedi Padawans traveled in silence, which meant that Litri could not think of anything Obi-Wan had done that she needed to criticize. Finally, they reached their rooms, and Obi-Wan input the password, causing the door to hiss open.

Obi-Wan entered the dark room, with Litri close behind him. The door slid shut quickly,

and Obi-Wan fumbled in the darkness for a light. Suddenly, the Force sent him a warning, but it was dulled, muted, and slow, not like normal.

However, the young Jedi did not have time to ponder that fact, because before he could turn or shout a warning to Litri, he was hit with a blaster set to stun, and collapsed to the ground.

The last thing Obi-Wan saw before falling into unconsciousness was Litri falling beside him.

**To be continued… **

**So, what did you guys think? And no, Litri was not inspired by younger siblings. Nope. Not at all. Not an iota. **

**Reviews feed the muses!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, people… sorry I kinda… you know… dropped off the face of the Earth a little bit. School started where I live, I'm taking all Honors classes, I'm trying to keep up with karate lessons, I'm on a DI team and managing two more, and I joined marching band (which is amazing, by the way), which means I officially have no time! Yay for over-commitment! The next chapter may be a while in coming, too. Sorry. To make up for it, I'll put Obi through some pain and angst soon, okay? **

**Anywho, enough with my problems. You want to read about the Jedi's problems, don't you? Yep. Thought so. **

Obi-Wan awoke slowly, faintly aware of a dull, throbbing pain in the back of his head that grew stronger and stronger as he was dragged back to the conscious world. Opening his eyes slowly, he pushed himself up into a semi-sitting position and surveyed his situation carefully.

The familiar weight of his lightsaber was gone from his belt, but of course, that was to be expected given the circumstances. Also missing were his comlink and – Obi-Wan sat up suddenly. He could still touch the Force!

Using the wall to brace himself, Obi-Wan stood up in excitement, only to sink to his knees again, overpowered by a sudden wave of nausea. Reaching out with his mind, Obi-Wan quickly discovered that he was only partially correct. His normal telekinetic abilities were missing, blocked by a mental wall, but he could still seem to speak through his bond. Cautiously, Obi-Wan called out. _/Master?/_

_/Master, where are you?/_

Silence.

Obi-Wan sighed. Qui-Gon's end of the bond was closed for some reason, and there was nothing he could do about it.

A faint moan brought the young man out of his meditation and back to reality. Fumbling in the darkened room, Obi-Wan called out, "Litri?" Slowly, the young man made his way across the cell, until he found his fellow Padawan slumped against the wall, beginning to regain consciousness.

"Obi-Wan?" Litri mumbled, opening her eyes. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yeah, Litri, I'm here," he answered. After a moment, Litri's eyes seemed to adjust to the dim lights, and she sat up straighter, looking around her.

"Where are we?" the girl asked, her voice betraying fear that she was obviously struggling to keep off her face.

"Some kind of prison cell, I think," Obi-Wan answered absentmindedly, focusing on examining the walls, floor, and ceiling, hoping for some way to escape. Unfortunately, what little optimism he had had quickly evaporated as he realized that what they were trapped in was a perfect cube, with no cracks or dents at all in the strange metal it was made of. Still, he made it a point to run his hands over every square inch of the place, since he could not trust his eyes.

"That's _not _going to work, Obi-Wan." Litri said exasperatedly, standing. "They wouldn't have locked us up in a cell that wasn't secure."

Unfortunately for Obi-Wan, Litri was obviously getting better, as her personality was coming back in full force.

"Well, did it hurt us for me to try?" Obi-Wan snapped irritably. Couldn't Litri tell he wasn't in the mood right now? "I don't know about you, but personally, I don't really want to find out why we've been brought here."

That shut Litri up for a moment, as she seemed unable to come up with a witty comeback to make Obi-Wan eat his words. "Well, I suppose it only makes sense that you should find a way to get us out of here."

Her words stopped Obi-Wan in his tracks. "What do you mean, exactly?" the teenager asked, his voice low.

"Well, just that it's you fault we're in this whole mess, anyway," Litri shot back.

Obi-Wan took deep breaths to calm himself and slowly responded. "Why do you think I did anything to cause this?"

When Litri didn't answer, Obi-Wan sighed and sat down on the floor, having already checked the walls, floors, and ceiling of the cell to no avail. It was a while before either teenager spoke again, and it was Obi-Wan who finally broke the unfriendly silence.

"I can't work out what this room is made of. It seems to be some type of metal alloy, but it's weird. It feels cold to the touch, and it doesn't warm with body heat, the way other metals do." The boy didn't even know if Litri was listening, but he couldn't take the sensory deprivation of sitting in a dark room without hearing or saying anything, so he continued. "And it's not a natural cold. I don't know how to describe it, though…" he allowed his voice to trail off as he heard a noise that seemed to come from outside the cell. Standing suddenly, he asked, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Litri asked, scared, rising to her feet as well. Suddenly, a glowing white line appeared in the outline of a door. The light flooding the once dark cell caused Obi-Wan and Litri to shield their eyes, which were still accustomed to the metal inside the lines grew transparent, and Obi-Wan reached out to touch it – still solid metal. Apparently, though, this was not the case for the man who easily stepped _through_ the clear metal.

"Hello, my little Jedi friends," the man said, his voice smooth, but smooth like a snake coiled, about to strike. "How are you doing this fine day?"

Litri seemed to gain courage then. "Who are you? Why are you keeping us here?"

Obi-Wan tugged at her arm to get her to sit down. "Litri!" he hissed. He didn't need the younger girl to try something reckless and get herself killed.

Chuckling slightly, the man stepped into the light so that the Jedi could see him. He was dressed in all black, save a white lab coat that came down to about his knees. His face was deathly pale, and his shoulder-length hair so blonde it was almost white. The man was smiling, but even without the Force, one could tell that his smile was fake, plastered on to a sadistic, crazed face.

"It's quite all right," the man dismissed Obi-Wan's concerns. "I am Cainam Eraweb, scientist. And you Jedi will make very useful lab rats for my latest invention."

Obi-Wan and Litri shared a glance. "What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Oh, nothing much," Eraweb grinned again, showing pointed teeth. "You'll find out soon enough, now, won't you… Yes, yes…" With that, the man backed out of the room.

Turning, as though he had forgotten something, Eraweb called out to the teens. "Oh, and I wouldn't try any funny business. You might be in for a bit of a… shock…" Laughing, he pressed two more buttons on his remote, and the door faded away into nothing again.

"What did he mean, Obi-Wa-" Litri stopped suddenly as their cell itself zapped them with electricity. "Aaah!"

Cainam Eraweb heard the cries of his prisoners as he walked carelessly down the halls of his laboratory. He had built the prisoner holding area near the building's power generator, which allowed him to send excruciating pain through his through the cells. He needed to watch how much he played with his Jedi pets, though. He needed them in reasonable condition for his experiment. _Still, _he thought. _The all-powerful Jedi could use a little lesson in humility… Qui-Gon couldn't take it. He just couldn't. If he had to sit through one more talk about "the pros and cons of different natural resources," he might… well, he would do something, that was for sure. Obi-Wan and Litri had been missing for a day now, but were he and A'ka out searching for their missing charges? No, they were stuck in hotel conference rooms with angry politicians._

* * *

><p>Rubbing his temples, Qui-Gon recalled when they had discovered the disappearance of the Padawans, their desperate search, their emergency meeting with Sage, Zalzabar, and Elisha. The men had refused to allow the Jedi to leave, saying that if they left now, civil war would break out. Although this struck both Qui-Gon and A'ka as odd, neither wanted to risk a war that would surely leave many Adarloni dead, widowed, and orphaned, so they really had no choice but to stay and sit, grating their teeth, through hours upon endless hours of meetings and political arguments.<p>

The strangest thing was, Qui-Gon reflected, that he had felt no warning from the Force. In fact, he had felt almost nothing from the mystical energy field since arriving on Adarlon. It was almost as though the planet itself repelled Force energy.

As meditation proved useless and the Force remained elusive, Qui-Gon gave up and resigned himself for a long, sleepless night.

_Where are you, Padawan? _

**By the way, November 10th's my birthday. A review would make a nice gift! Thanks, you people make my day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi, everyone! Please, please, please don't send hit men after me! *Hides under desk.* I know, I haven't updated in forever! I just started high school this year, and it's way more work then I anticipated, so I've kinda let my Fanfiction account gather dust. I'm going to try to be better about updating, but no promises. If this bugs you, I'd stop reading. I will try to be better, though.**

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

Obi-Wan Kenobi paced the floor of his cell, trying to think. He guessed it had only been a few hours since the horrible electric field had been shut off, and Litri was still out cold. He should probably be worried about her, Obi-Wan reflected, but, then again, what good would worrying do – and unconscious, Litri was blissfully quiet.

Obi-Wan allowed himself a small smile, but quickly returned to his thoughts. It was obvious that he and Litri needed to get out before Eraweb used them for his "experiment" – because Obi-Wan didn't need to be a Jedi to sense that he wouldn't like it very much. As far as he could tell, though, their cell was a metal box, and the only way in or out of it was through the strange disappearing door. The Padawan ran his hands along the smooth wall until he felt the miniscule seam. Digging his nails into the crack, he tugged in vain at the unyielding metal.

Sighing, Obi-Wan slumped against the wall. It was no use. There was no way out. He and Litri were trapped. They would probably –

Obi-Wan shook his head. He could almost her Qui-Gon's lessons now. _There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it._ He had to start thinking like a Jedi. Stretching out with the Force and silently rejoicing that for some reason, it had not been completely taken away from him, Obi-Wan probed beyond the cell, into the rest of the detention center. He quickly memorized the layout of the building, all the hallways and rooms.

As soon as they got out of the cell, they would have to go down a hall, turn right and sneak through some sort of laboratory, then go down a maze of corridors before they reached the hanger. From there, they could easily crack the codes to open the doors and activate one of Eraweb's transports. It was smooth sailing from there.

Of course, Obi-Wan mentally grimaced, that still left the original problem – how would they get out of the cell itself? The door seemed to be their only option, as the rest of the cell showed no flaws whatsoever. But even when Eraweb had come into the cell, the transparent metal had stayed solid.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan was jolted from his musings by Litri's voice."Obi-Wan? Obi?"

"Yes, Litri?" Obi-Wan injected a hint of annoyance into his voice to let Litri know she had interrupted his train of thought.

"Obi, I – I'm scared," Litri confessed.

Obi-Wan started, and looked at the girl next to him. When had she ever called him _Obi_? For once, Litri didn't seem like a nuisance, or a pain, but just a scared girl on her first mission, desperate to get back to her Master and the Temple. Awkwardly, Obi-Wan put his arm around Litri's shaking shoulders and tried to offer comfort.

"Hey, Litri, it's going to be all right," he tried. "We're going to get out of here. I have an escape route all mapped out. All we need to do is get out of the cell. Then, we can just –"

"No!" Litri jerked away from Obi-Wan and stared at him as though he had grown a second head. "Are you crazy? Don't you remember Eraweb's horrible remote? The electricity? Do you want to give him an excuse to kill us?"

"He won't kill us," Obi-Wan reassured her. "He needs us for something. Until he finishes his experiment, he can't afford to kill us."

"But what about the electricity?" Litri argued. "Do you really want to go through that again?"

"He can't hurt us if we escape," Obi-Wan explained impatiently. The moment of big-brotherly affection he had felt for Litri was over, and he once more had to stop himself from slapping her. "What do you want us to do, just wait until our Masters show up to rescue us?"

"Yes!" Litri sounded equally exasperated. "We're just Padawans! How are we supposed to get out, when Eraweb has the only remote to control the door?"

"Wait a minute…" Obi-Wan suddenly got an idea. "The remote! All we have to do is steal the remote! Then we can get out and find our Masters!"

"And just how do youintend to do that?" Litri asked skeptically.

Obi-Wan grinned. "Here's the plan…"

* * *

><p>Back in the hotel in which the Jedi and governors were staying for the duration of the negotiations, Qui-Gon and A'ka were attempting to meditate, hoping to find their calm centers – and their apprentices. They had chosen a small garden out behind the building. It was secluded, and out of the way, making it an ideal place to focus, but ever since their arrival on Adarlon, Qui-Gon could not seem to focus.<p>

Sighing, Qui-Gon called a nearby stone to him with the Force. He turned it over and over in his hands; the stone was warm from the afternoon sun. He flung it away in irritation as another attempt to calm himself failed miserably. The rock made a satisfying thunk as it hit a statue. _I should be out there, searching for Obi-Wan! What am I doing here? _

Unexpectedly, Qui-Gon and A'ka heard the crack of a branch beneath someone's foot, and the sound of voices drawing nearer. It was the governors, Drehel Zalzabar and Grupen Sage, but they didn't seem to be arguing. Qui-Gon nodded at A'ka, and the two crouched down behind a barabel bush, curious as to what was going on.

"I'm telling you, we never should have made this bargain," Sage was saying. "How long is it going to be before those two Jedi find out?"

"Let's not discuss this here," Zalzabar said pointedly. "Who knows who's listening?"

"You're not getting out of this that easy!" Sage grabbed his comrade by the arm. "No one knows about this garden. It's hidden. We're safe here. How do we get out of this deal?"

Qui-Gon and A'ka shared a look, and Qui-Gon flicked on a small recording device. This was getting interesting.

"The Jedi will never suspect a thing," Zalzabar told Sage. "They're powerless here, without their precious Force."

"Well, what if they get their powers back and then –"

"They _won't._ Adarlon's core is around 88 percent Carnota, remember?"

A'ka's breath came out in a hiss. Carnota! Of course! The metal was widely feared among Jedi because it made them unable to access the Force. That explained everything – how Obi-Wan and Litri had been captured so easily, how she and Qui-Gon had been fooled, and how they were unable to find their calm centers.

"Look," Zalzabar explained slowly. "Elisha doesn't suspect a thing. The real Zalzabar and Sage have been disposed of, and we look exactly like them, after taking the transformation injections. And the Jedi will never find out. Eraweb's paying us big for this one, and I won't have you mess it up for us!"

'Sage,' nodded curtly. "Fine. But if anything goes wrong, Eraweb'll have our heads. Just remember that."

As the two criminals headed back towards the main hotel building, Qui-Gon and A'ka went searching for Elisha.

* * *

><p>The human woman shook her head. "I – I can't believe it," she murmured. "I'll arrest the impostors immediately, using my power as emergency governor. But you Jedi should leave immediately. I have heard rumors about Eraweb. He's a madman, and if he's the one who has your Padawans…" Elisha trailed off. "I'm so sorry, honored Jedi. I din't realize our Carnota core would dull your powers."<p>

A'ka nodded and pressed the data chip with the evidence into Elisha's small hand.

"Could we borrow one of your ships, please, Miss Iyr?" A'ka struggled to maintain her composure. Litri and Obi-Wan had been in the hands of a madman for two days? Force help them.

"One is already prepared. I suggest you leave now," Elisha directed Qui-Gon and A'ka to the hanger. The Jedi bowed hastily, and hurried off. At this point, every second counted.

* * *

><p>Cainam Eraweb once more stepped through the door to the cell of his Jedi pets. He didn't want to wait any longer before carrying out his experiment, in case the Jedi Masters discovered his plan. At the press of a button on his remote, he door glowed bright white and turned transparent, allowing him to enter. What he saw shocked him.<p>

The boy Jedi was lying on the floor, arms and legs sprawled across the cold metal floor. The girl crouched next to him, crying and calling to him. "Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan, wake up! You can't be dead, you just can't be!"

Eraweb felt a surge of fear. He hadn't meant to kill one of the Jedi! He needed them! He kicked the girl out of his way and stood over the boy – Obi-Wan, was it? It didn't matter. The scientist leaned forward, trying to get a closer look…

And suddenly, the boy was in motion, one leg hooking around Eraweb's knee, and the other leg pressed against his ankle. The Jedi boy twisted sharply to his left, and the conflicting pressures on his leg sent Eraweb crashing to the floor. The boy jumped up, snatched the remote, and was out of there, the girl hot on his heels. They tried o shut the door behind them, but Eraweb was too fast for them, and slipped through the opening just in time. Finding he couldn't run on his weakened leg, Eraweb summoned droids. They would catch those Jedi!

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan and Litri ran through the maze of corridors, gaining more hope with every step. The hanger was in sight! They were going to make it! Obi-Wan easily bypassed the security code, and the hanger doors opened, revealing at least a hundred super battle droids.<p>

Obi-Wan sorely missed his lightsaber at this point. "Litri! You've got to bypass the security code for the hanger door and the security code for the ship itself. I'll hold the droids off!"

"But, Obi-Wan –"

"JUST DO IT!" the teenager shouted, and Litri hurried to comply. She easily hacked the combination for the door, but the ship was far more advanced technology. Sparing only a second to glance over at Obi-Wan, Litri set to work.

Obi-Wan was not doing well. He had aced Master Bear's hand to hand fighting class, but the droids had blasters, and he didn't have his Force telekinesis, giving them a huge advantage. The best he could do was try to draw their attention away from Litri and evade their fire.

The Padawan spun and leapt, caught up in a deadly dance. _Just one wrong move and I'm toast .How long does Litri need, anyway?_ Spotting a cable hanging from a catwalk maybe fifty feet above the ground, Obi-Wan leapt. He flipped in midair, and caught the rope about thirty feet up. He quickly scrambled up the last twenty feet to the metal walkway.

His relief was short-lived, as he turned to see ten more droids advancing towards him. "LITRI! HURRY UP!" he shouted, fear building in him, although he tried to squash it down and center himself.

A roundhouse kick caught one of the droids in the side, sweeping it over the railing and down to the concrete hanger floor. However, it also left Obi-Wan off balance. A shot from one of the droids hit him in the knee as he attempted to flip backwards and regain his footing. Obi-Wan's leg collapsed under him and he landed, teetering, dangerously near the edge of the catwalk. Another bolt caught him in the arm, and the force of impact sent him flying over the edge.

Obi-Wan's skull cracked against the floor as he made impact. Feeling his consciousness swiftly fading, he called to Litri. "Go without me! Get the Masters! I'll be fine…" And then the pain and blackness overtook him and he knew no more.

**Sorry, I don't think I write fight scenes very well. I'm practicing. **

**I've always hated stories where Obi-Wan just sits around an waits for Qui-Gon to rescue him. He has to at least try to escape! Plus, escape attempts are a great place to injure my poor Obi! Hee, hee! Sadism!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, guess what! DI is over, Robotics is over, the school musical is over… I HAVE SPARE TIME! I was going to update earlier, but my DI team won Regionals and went to States, and then relatives came over… Anyway, I should be able to update more regularly now. That's a good thing, because I think if I had waited any longer, I would have forgotten what this story was about! **

**And, speaking of stories…**

Obi-Wan had always hated feeling helpless. And now, coming to strapped to a metal table in some strange laboratory, he couldn't recall ever feeling more vulnerable.

The Jedi Padawan blinked wearily, trying to clear the cobwebs from his muddled brain. He shook his head and winced as it throbbed in protest at the motion. _Not the best idea. _But at least the pain cleared his head some and allowed him to focus.

Now, Obi-Wan sized up his situation. His hair stuck to his scalp with dried blood, presumably where he had hit his head. There was a burning pain in his left arm, just above the elbow, and another in his right knee. That, he assumed, was where he had been shot.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Obi-Wan braced himself and raised his head to inspect his wounds. His arm had been grazed- not a very serious hit, but his knee… Obi-Wan had to fight down a wave of nausea. The flesh around it was blackened and burnt from the heat of the bolt, and the boy could clearly see the shattered bone.

Suddenly he remembered. _Litri. Oh, Force, I hope she got away to tell the Masters where we are. They're surely looking for us by now… _

Obi-Wan laid his head back onto the table and started to reach out to the Force but was interrupted by the unpleasant, cold tone of Eraweb's voice. "Well, my little Jedi pet, I see no reason to keep you waiting any longer. It's a shame your little friend abandoned you, but never fear, I've sent droids out to take care of her. I'll just have to get along without my other lab rat, won't I?"

The boy opened his eyes and gazed defiantly up at his captor, mustering up as much dignity and strength as he could, but said nothing.

The scientist chuckled. "The silent treatment? Come, now, aren't we above such childish measures?" When he still got no response, he continued. "I assure you, it's nothing personal – well, not at you specifically. I'm merely bringing justice. The Jedi have committed crimes, and they must be punished. It's that simple." With that, Eraweb began filling a hypo with a green liquid.

Obi-Wan took the bait. "What have the Jedi done? We are guardians of the peace, not criminals."

"Ah, that is what you have been taught. But I would have thought that a boy of your intelligence would have deduced by now that not every cryptic word pouring out of your revered Master Yoda's mouth is truth," Eraweb sneered. "Have you, perchance, heard of the planet Kirego?"

Of course Obi-Wan had heard of Kirego. Every Jedi student was taught about it in History class. It was a perfect example of why Jedi needed to keep their emotions in check. Around thirty years ago, a new Knight and his Padawan had been sent to the system to recover the kidnapped prince, sole heir to the throne. The Padawan had been killed in battle, and the Knight, crazed with rage and grief, destroyed the fleeing kidnapper's speeder – although the prince was still inside. Kirego erupted into civil war, and the Jedi, having lost all respect they had once had from the Kiregans, were powerless to stop it. The planet was practically destroyed by bombs, the population decimated. Since Kirego mainly got by on farming and agriculture, most of the survivors of the wars died of starvation. It was estimated that fewer than a hundred Kiregans had managed to get off-planet before the famine, as the self-contained Kirego did not have many starships. It was one of the great tragedies in Republic history. Suddenly, Obi-Wan understood.

"You're a Kiregan survivor, aren't you?" Obi-Wan asked. "That's why you want revenge on the Jedi."

"It's not 'revenge,'" Eraweb said dismissively, approaching the examination table. "I am bringing a band of dangerous criminals to justice. Tell me, Jedi boy, what makes what I am doing now any different from what you do every day?" Without giving Obi-Wan a chance to respond, Eraweb plunged the hypo into the exposed veins on the Padawan's neck. Obi-Wan would not have been sure what to respond had he been given the chance.

"Now," the man said as he set up various monitors and computers, "I suppose you're going to want to know what I have in store for you. The chemical now circulating in your bloodstream will slow your bodily functions, weakening your immune system for the next part of my little experiment." Collecting a blood sample and testing it for midichlorians with an air of mild interest, Eraweb continued. "I have created a machine that blocks a Jedi off from the Force. Not temporary, like the current Force-suppressors. This is _permanent_."

Even though his mind was already hazy from the drug Eraweb had given him, Obi-Wan knew that this was bad news. _I have a bad feeling about this._ He strained against his restraints once more, ignoring the searing pain from his wounds, but his body felt like it was made of lead and his limbs refused to obey.

Eraweb was saying something about how his machine would use some sort of radiation to both kill midichlorians and keep the remaining ones from reproducing. Obi-Wan struggled to focus. "…18,000 midichlorians per cell? No, that won't do. Let's set the computer for 2,500 – the average for your species. I could just kill them all, but I think this is more fitting. You see, I am not a vengeful man, and I…"

Obi-Wan saw as though through a fog, Eraweb stand back from the examination table and pull goggles over his was vaguely aware Eraweb pressing a button built into the wall. There was no such fog to mask the pain.

_/MASTER! MASTER!/ _ Obi-Wan screamed into the blocked bond. The process was _agony_, worse than he could ever imagine. It felt as though every cell in his body was being ripped open individually. The pain was all consuming, all encompassing, and so completely deep that it seemed that it had always been there, and always would. He could not form logical thoughts, and was dimly aware that he was now screaming wordlessly, both through his bond and out loud. He thought for a moment that he had felt his Master's soothing presence, but then – nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The fire in his bones slowly lessened until it had completely faded, but still, Obi-Wan sobbed. It was much worse than any Force suppressor. With a Force suppressor, one would attempt to reach out and meet a solid barrier. Now, it seemed as though the world outside his mind did not exist. He was isolated. A prisoner inside his own head.

Slient tears streamed down the boy's face, and he didn't care who saw.

**Okay, I know this is short, even for me, and I didn't tell you anything about Litri or Qui-Gon and A'ka, but it seemed like a great place to stop… and it's existence is a step up for me lately. **

**Reviews? *Puppy dog eyes***


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